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Dressed like a superhero of sound, Th' Mole mashes up beats and samples from a laptop computer swung across his body like a guitar.
Know and Go
What: Th' Mole (AKA Jonah Mociun), Meri St. Mary, Aaron Ross
Date: Tuesday, July 7
Time: 7 to 10 p.m.
Where: North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center, 17894 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City
Tickets: $9, All-ages
Info: (530) 265-2826
Date: Tuesday, July 7
Time: 7 to 10 p.m.
Where: North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center, 17894 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City
Tickets: $9, All-ages
Info: (530) 265-2826
Underground sensation Th' Mole has been bringing his far-out cornucopia of electronic music to audiences across the United States, Canada and Europe since the 90s. Dressed like a superhero of sound, he mashes up beats and samples from a laptop computer swung across his body like a guitar, all the while playfully waxing poetics on how being hip is about getting your family ties straight and treating people well in service jobs.
The creative genius behind Th' Mole is 31-year-old San Juan Ridge local Jonah Mociun. Growing up, Mociun was heavily influenced by Ween, Beck and the Beastie Boys, groups known for their early use of sampling in pushing the envelope of musical genres. By the age of 16, he was already experimenting with lo-fi multi-track recordings using simple tape decks.
“Hip-hop, with it's sampling of bass, was the first kind of music I really liked,” says Mociun. “With sampling it's so easy to get a little bit of everything into the music.”
Mociun, who claims not to be a tech geek, pulls most of his samples from online sound libraries and before some of you purists get into a huff, it's legal and a lot harder than you'd think.
“It's pretty intensive, the amount of time I'll put into one song. I'll find a sample online, and using pitching shifting, time stretching and chopping, make it my own,” he explains.
Mociun's hard work is beginning to pay off with audiences quickly catching on to his unique sound and persona. This spring before embarking on a three-month US and European tour that he booked himself, Th' Mole's new album, Greatest Hits (Ha Ha Ha) Vol. 1 (Daly City Records) hit #12 on CMJ college radio charts in its fifth week. The album also placed #4 on the esteemed WFMU radio station and the album's single "How 2 B Cool" remained #1 on the popular electronic music magazine XLR8R's "Top Rated MP3's" for nearly two weeks.
Th' Mole's music is only one-half of the appeal though. The other is an extravagant stage show that trumps even the theatrics and costumes of a pop star like Lady Ga Ga.
“I figure, if I'm going to be on stage, I might as well be as entertaining as possible,” says Mociun.
Th' Mole brings his insane show to the North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center, Tuesday July 7. Also performing is the infamous 80's punk siren and KVMR broadcaster Meri St. Mary and psychedelic folk rocker Aaron Ross.
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Lemonade is cool and refreshing, usually sweet and a little bit tart. Jesse Locks is a freelance writer. You can reach her at jesse@arthurmag.com
The creative genius behind Th' Mole is 31-year-old San Juan Ridge local Jonah Mociun. Growing up, Mociun was heavily influenced by Ween, Beck and the Beastie Boys, groups known for their early use of sampling in pushing the envelope of musical genres. By the age of 16, he was already experimenting with lo-fi multi-track recordings using simple tape decks.
“Hip-hop, with it's sampling of bass, was the first kind of music I really liked,” says Mociun. “With sampling it's so easy to get a little bit of everything into the music.”
Mociun, who claims not to be a tech geek, pulls most of his samples from online sound libraries and before some of you purists get into a huff, it's legal and a lot harder than you'd think.
“It's pretty intensive, the amount of time I'll put into one song. I'll find a sample online, and using pitching shifting, time stretching and chopping, make it my own,” he explains.
Mociun's hard work is beginning to pay off with audiences quickly catching on to his unique sound and persona. This spring before embarking on a three-month US and European tour that he booked himself, Th' Mole's new album, Greatest Hits (Ha Ha Ha) Vol. 1 (Daly City Records) hit #12 on CMJ college radio charts in its fifth week. The album also placed #4 on the esteemed WFMU radio station and the album's single "How 2 B Cool" remained #1 on the popular electronic music magazine XLR8R's "Top Rated MP3's" for nearly two weeks.
Th' Mole's music is only one-half of the appeal though. The other is an extravagant stage show that trumps even the theatrics and costumes of a pop star like Lady Ga Ga.
“I figure, if I'm going to be on stage, I might as well be as entertaining as possible,” says Mociun.
Th' Mole brings his insane show to the North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center, Tuesday July 7. Also performing is the infamous 80's punk siren and KVMR broadcaster Meri St. Mary and psychedelic folk rocker Aaron Ross.
--
Lemonade is cool and refreshing, usually sweet and a little bit tart. Jesse Locks is a freelance writer. You can reach her at jesse@arthurmag.com
